Thank you, William. I should have mentioned N87349 S/N 522 has rudder pedals ... my rudder cables are no longer connected to the belcrank arms just above the aileron belcrank arms (under the baggage compartment). Instead, my rudder cables have the extensions that go forward and connect to the rudder pedals. As a result, the only tension in my rudder cables comes from the two light rudder pedal return springs (about 3" long x about 3/8" diameter). If I mash down on both rudder pedals, I could probably put a hundred pounds tension in the cables, but good piloting would have us be "light on our toes."
The elevator cables, on the other hand, have significant tension, so I will check out the Ercoupe Service Memorandum for correct tension as you suggested. Do I understand correctly, a tensiometer has to match the diameter of the cable being tensioned? I'm not a mechanic either; Worse yet, I'm an engineer! Mike ________________________________ From: William R. Bayne <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, June 24, 2010 1:52:36 AM Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Loaner Tensiometer update Hi Mike, The answers you (and your mechanic) need are in Ercoupe Service Memorandum No. 59. It calls for rudder pedal cable tension of 30 - 70 lbs. using a tensiometer. Of course, if your mechanic's hand has been recently calibrated by a "method acceptable to the Administrator"... ;<) The "pull of the springs" is to assist the return the rudder pedals to neutral position when operated. That is a function quite separate from the direct tensioned cable connections between left and right rudder pedals and the rudder bellcrank assembly in the horizontal stabilizer. Oh, and be sure to read Ercoupe Service Memorandum No. 59A as to addition or modification of placards, as appropriate to your model. Be aware, I'm not a mechanic. Regards, WRB -- On Jun 24, 2010, at 02:10, Mike Harrison wrote: > > > Hi Bill, > > How critical is elevator cable tension? > > I have been wondering if my elevator cables are anywhere close to correct > tension. My mechanic grabbed the cable and felt the tension was "about right." > > I have rudder pedals, so rudder cable tension is rather light, jsut the pull > of the springs. > > Mike > > From: Bill BIGGS <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tue, May 25, 2010 7:57:11 PM > Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Loaner Tensiometer update > > > Folks, > > Jim Brennan got the tensiometer and has finished with it in record time. > > Jim is shipping it to Ed Motell. > > Ed will be shipping it to James Ayers here in Texas. > > James, please contact me when you are done with it .(to answer your latest > post it's mine) > > Anyone else need it? > > > Thanks, > Bill Biggs
